Clown charity urges supporters not to send funds to Archipel account

People wishing to support a recently closed clown charity are being urged not to transfer funds to the bank account stated on the Facebook support page.

Last week's announcement that the “Île aux Clowns” would fold because of a lack of funding, prompted supporters to create a Facebook page aimed at reviving the project.

The page included the bank account details of Archipel, which managed the charity. However, since the organisation has been wound down, the account no longer exists.

“The account number is wrong”, “Île aux Clowns” member Christmas Heinzelmann said, adding: “Archipel no longer exists and so neither does the account.”

Mr Heinzelmann said that every effort was being made to find alternative funding for the project which uses play and entertainment to help sick children and the elderly. He said that he had contacted various ministers but had no response yet.

"I would like to clarify that our approach to continue this project is not related to a career problem. We are just convinced of the merits our work brings to sick children and the elderly," he said.

Translated from an article by Charline Lebrun